Tings



{No Model.)

A. H. HASTINGS. UPRIGHT PIANO CASE.

No, 448,032. Patented Mar. 10,1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AZARIAII HORACE HASTINGS, OF NElV YORK, N. Y.

UPRlGHT-PIANO CASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 448,032, dated March 10, 1891.

Application filed July 29, 1890. Serial No. 360,265. (No n10del.)

.Z0 (tZZ w/wm it may concern:

- Be it known that I, AZARIAH HORACE Has-- TINGS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Upright-Piano Cases, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in upright-piano cases, and particularly to that class employing sound deflectors or ventilators independentlyof the lid or cover.

The object of my invention is to produce an npright-pian0 case which will deflect the sound-waves from the interior of the ease, thereby avoiding the mufl'led tone common to this class of instruments and at the same time be neat and attractive in appearance and simple and economical in construction.

Tothis end my invention consists in a sounddeflector for an upright-piano ease hinged to the front thereof, and means for retaining said sound-deflector in its open position, as hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, in which like parts are similarly designated, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improvement with the sound-deflector closed. Fig. 2 is a similar view with the sound-deflector open, Fig. 3, a section on the line 02 00, Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 a section on the line y y, Fig. 2.

A is the pianoframe of ordinary construction and ornamentation provided at the front and near the top with a sound-deflector consisting of a swing-panel B, preferably extending the entire length of the piano-ease. This panel may be of any desired width or height to preserve the symmetry of the ornamentation, and is hinged at its upper edge to the frame or top A, and may be provided with a knob for opening and closing it. The panel B is further provided on the back thereof with one or more flat curved springs a, which when the panel is moved inwardly to the position shown in Figs. 2 and 4, catch over the projections I) on the frame A and thereby retain said panel in its open position.

It willbe noted that the arrangementof my sound-deflector is peculiarly effective, as it swings inwardly and catches and deflects the ascending sound-waves outwardly and throws the same forwardinto the room,avoiding the usual muffled tones and producing tones with the proper inflection and gradation. A further advantage lies in the fact that in piano-eases provided with my improvement it will not be necessary to open or remove the lid or cover to get the most desirable effects of sound. It therefore follows that the lid or cover may ordinarily be used as a shelf or receptacle forbric-a-brae, music, the. Indeed it is not even essential that the lid should be made to open at all, although this may of course be done.

It is obvious that the swing-panel comprising the sound-deflector may be attached directly to the top of the case.

lVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In an upright-piano case, a sound-deflector hinged to the front of the piano-frame and adapted to be moved laterally thereof, in combination with a spring-stop arranged to automatically control the swing-panel forming the sound-deflector and retain the same in its open position, substantially as described, for the purposes set forth. l

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 38th dayof July, A. D. 1890.

AZARIAH HORACE HASTIN GS.

Witnesses:

E. R. KNOWLES, FREDERIc CANAGAN. 

